Will maintain status quo till May 21: Haryana to top court

NEWDELHI: Haryana government on Wednesday assured the Supreme Court that it will maintain status quo on supply of Yamuna river water to the national capital till May 21 and will decide on the Delhi government’s proposed request to continue the supply.

The Delhi Jal Board (DJB) told a bench comprising Justices Madan B Lokur and Navin Sinha that they will withdraw their petition filed in the apex court in the matter and approach the Upper Yamuna River Board (UYRB) immediately for continuance of release of drinking water to Delhi.

One of the functions of the UYRB, set up by the Centre in 1995, is to regulate and supply water from all storage sites and barrages up to the Okhla barrage in Delhi, in accordance with the agreements between governments of six basin states of Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Haryana, Delhi and Rajasthan.

During the hearing, the counsel for the Delhi government told the bench that a request will be made on Wednesday itself to Haryana for continuing the status quo relating to the release of drinking water.

The court asked Haryana to expeditiously decide on Delhi’s request, saying the issue involved water for drinking purposes and not for irrigation.

“Counsel for the state of Haryana says that a decision will be taken on the request but regardless of the decision taken by the state government, the status quo will maintain till May 21, 2018. Needless to say, the state of Haryana will take an independent decision,” the bench said.

“We expect the board to meet over the next couple of days and sort out the matter amicably between Delhi and Haryana,” it said, adding it expected all UYRB members to attend the meeting so that the representatives of Delhi and Haryana could place their views.

“We leave it open to the board to take a call whether it is necessary for the basin states to be represented,” the bench said, adding “the application (of DJB) is dismissed as withdrawn”.

The top court was hearing DJB’S plea which had alleged that Haryana had reduced by one-third the supply of Yamuna water to Delhi, leading to a grave water crisis.